Businesses typically use conference calls as a means for communicating with clients, vendors and fellow employees who are located in different remote locations. In many instances, conference calls can be established by bridging together multiple communication connections established between a switch or bridge and conference call participants. Each communication connection is established when a conference call participant calls a predetermined number that rings the conference call bridge and establishes a communication connection. The conference call participants are bridged into a common connection by the switch or bridge. Typically, establishing the communication connection between each conference call participant and the switch or bridge requires the conference call participants to call a predetermined number and/or enter a conference call passcode. Conference call participants use their own phone service which can be costly. Additionally, it can be cumbersome to have to remember predetermined conference call phone numbers and passcodes.
In some systems, a conference host can bear the cost of contacting the conference call participants by calling the participants at a predetermined phone number. These systems are, however, not desirable because they require knowledge of the participant's phone number such that the participant must be located at that phone number. This system does not allow the conference participants to change their location or otherwise change their phone number. Rather, the conference is configured to call a predetermined phone number that often times cannot be changed. The conference may be configured days in advance, therefore once the user accepts the conference call, the user cannot change his/her contact number.
The undesirable requirements of a typical conference call system stem from the requirement that users pay money to dial a conference call phone number, remember a conference call phone number, remember a conference call passcode or access code and/or locate themselves in a location where they can be reached at the predetermined phone number programmed into the conference. Thus, a conference call system that eliminates the requirement to call a phone number and therefore pay to establish a phone call would be desirable. This system would likely also eliminate the requirement that conference call participants remember a conference call phone number, and in some cases a conference call passcode.